Designated as a national park in 1981, today it serves as a popular tourist destination for activities such as hiking, climbing, fishing and cross-country skiing. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) maintains a comprehensive network of cabins and paths across the Hardangervidda.
The Hardangervidda plateau is the largest peneplain (eroded plain) in Northern Europe, covering an area of about 6500 km2. The prominent peak of Hårteigen (1690 metres above sealevel) is visible across much of the plateau.
Hardangervidda is important as the home of the largest wild reindeer herds in Europe and the largest subpopulations of many species of birds that are comparatively rare in southern Norway. The plateau has a large diversity of plants in the boundary area between western and eastern species. The thousands of lakes make the plateau an eldorado for hikers with tents and fishing rods.
People probably came to Hardangervidda at the same time as the reindeer, after the last Ice Age. About 250 Stone Age sites have been found, the oldest dating from 6300 BC. The people probably led a nomadic life, following the reindeer migration routes. Many of the sites are close to bottlenecks in the landscape, where migrating reindeer herds became compacted to cross lakes and rivers.
In our days too, the natural resources on Hardangervidda are very valuable for the surrounding settlements. Hardangervidda National Park differs from other Norwegian national parks because it has been used a great deal by local people, has many buildings and much privately owned land. Large flocks of sheep are taken there to graze each summer, and for many people fishing and hunting are highly valued forms of relaxing, recreation and sources of food.
Ancient trails cross the Hardangervidda plateau, linking western and eastern Norway. Well known is the trail Normannsslepa linking Eidfjord in Hardanger and Veggli in Numedal, with ramifications to Hol, Geilo and Uvdal.